Of Risks and Rewards
by highjynx
Summary: After BOFTA, Fíli can sense the growing separation between him and Kíli, but he is at a loss as to how he could even begin to rebuild the close relationship they once had. It is just his bad luck that fate is about to throw several more wrenches into his life in the form of suitors. Lots and lots of them. Fili-centric, Fili/Kili pairing. Skip this if it's not your cup of tea.
1. Chapter 1

**AN**:

Hello dears! I'm back and trying my hands on writing a new pairing! I hope you will all enjoy reading this fic and as always, please let me know what you think. Many thanks!

Unbetaed as of yet. Apologies for the mistakes!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The only thing stopping Fíli from leaving the party in a miserable huff was the rare sight of his uncle being dragged to the dance floor by a slightly tipsy Bilbo Baggins. The blond winced into his mug of honey mead as Thorin awkwardly jerked his limbs in a sad imitation to the Hobbit's nimble-footed dance, his steps completely out of sync to the beat of the merry song playing in the background. His usual majestic grace had long since disappeared by his tenth tankard of mead, but from his low rumbling laughter and the rosy flush on his cheeks, he did not seem bothered by the loss of composure. If anything, Bilbo's utterly besotted look only made Thorin try harder.

It was all...unbearably sweet and profoundly uncomfortable to witness.

Fíli snorted quietly and shifted his gaze to the table beside the dancing couple. Even seated with their heads bowed in private conversation, the cluster of Elves were noticeably taller than the throng of party goers. The ethereal glow of their pale, beardless skin shone in the flickering golden light from the gilded candles lining the halls, and Fíli could spot more than a few curious glances aimed at the group.

Fíli, however, was more interested by the sight of his little brother laughing raucously beside a grinning elf-maiden, the same one who had rescued him those many months ago at Lake-town. Kíli had spent the majority of the evening chatting with Tauriel, all bright-eyed, easy smiles and with enough charisma to charm even the most aloof Elf of the bunch. It was hard to believe that Kíli was anything but the joyful spirit that he currently is.

The blond's gaze softened at his little brother's bright laughter. It was good to see him finally coming out of the deep melancholy that had plagued him since the Battle. Goodness knows that Fíli had tried his damndest to be there for Kíli, but when Kíli (_who had sat there on his cot, his back bowed and his eyes shuttered_) had asked Fíli to leave (_I'm sorry, Fíli, I just need some time by myself to think_), Fíli was left with no choice but to swallow the sharp pang of rejection and ever rising worry so that he could –

_Watch someone else do a better job than I did_, Fíli finished his thought, the taste of defeat bitter on his tongue. He'd have to be blind to miss the way that Kíli's face lit up when he had spotted the Elf captain, the way Kíli more than happily peeled himself away from Fíli to be with Tauriel, the way Kíli's posture loosened around her as if he was finally releasing his pent up tension...

For the umpteenth time that evening, Fíli grimaced and swallowed the lonely feeling of being abandoned. He was acting utterly ridiculous and was probably blowing this whole situation out of proportion, but the wedge between him and his brother had never been more apparent as of late and Fíli didn't know how to _fix_ this.

"Well, you must be the most miserable looking Dwarf I've seen."

Fíli jumped back, startled, and sloshed his drink all over his hand in the process. The stranger in front of him was tall (for a Dwarf) and olive skinned; His dark hair and well-groomed beard were beautifully braided in a style that gave away his youth and his noble birth. Fíli's eyes trailed to the sigils etched into the fine silver beads of his hair to those that adorned the gleaming pin on the stranger's rich green tunic. _Iron Hills Dwarf, _Fíli concluded,_ possibly related to Dain, a little older than Kíli but younger than I am_.

Meanwhile, the other Dwarf raised an inquisitive brow and drawled out, "And here I was expecting King Thorin to be the most austere–looking Dwarf in this establishment, but I believe I stand corrected. How can anyone not be happy standing beside a buffet table as grand as this one?" He pointed to the food-laden table beside Fíli. The miserable piece of furniture looked seconds away from collapsing under its own weight.

"I – uh – apologies, Master Dwarf. You startled me," Fíli shook himself out of his stupor and gave a stiff little bow before squinting up at the Dwarf. "Have we met?"

The stranger cocked his head and gave Fíli a look-over. "Nope," he drawled again, pausing to take another slow sip of his mead, "but I have heard about you, Crown Prince Fíli of Erebor, although I was expecting more...majestic golden lion and less...this." He gave a vague wave in the direction of Fíli's body.

Fíli gaped at him for a few seconds before snapping his jaw shut with an audible click. "And pray tell, Master Dwarf, do you have a problem with my appearance?" he snapped back, insulted and a tiny bit flattered because '_majestic golden lion'?_ Really? Was that how the others see him?

He did glance down quickly to see if something was amiss with his velvet Durin blue tunic. Nothing looked out of the ordinary.

"It's not the clothing, your Majesty. It's just that I wasn't expecting to see the crown prince sulking by the buffet table, throwing wistful doe-eyed looks at the Elves," the bastard of a Dwarf pointed out with a quirk of his lips. "Can't say I understand the appeal, not when you have a fine selection of Dwarves to choose from. For example, Lady Rindr here," he gestured to a brunet Dwarrowdam at the end of the room, "has been desperately trying to catch your attention for the past three hours. Lady Groa, the one in the hideous blue skirt, that's the one – now _she_'s been plotting a strategy to catch you alone so that she can talk to you. Ohoh! Don't even get me started on Lady Helga, Lady Sigrun, Lady Kara, Lord Farin – "

"_Lord_ Farin?" Fíli choked out.

"Yes, _Lord_ Farin," the stranger nodded, sounding entirely too amused for Fíli's liking. "There's also Lord Floi, Lord Nar, Lord Thrim, the list goes on really. As you can see, you are spoiled for choices."

Fíli threw quick glances around himself, suddenly feeling very, very exposed by the buffet table. The Dwarrodam in the hideous blue dress waved a little too enthusiastically at him.

Fíli flinched.

Wild-eyed and more than a little afraid, the blond spun back around and hissed urgently at the stranger, "And what are _you_ doing here? What is your purpose in all of this?"

"I just wanted you to know about the many options available to you, your Majesty!" the Dwarf grinned in smug delight and Fíli had to remind himself that it was _not good at all_ to punch the git in the face. "Also, I figured that your royal highness could at least use a warning if you choose to make yourself an easy target by the buffet table. Your admirers are slowly circling closer after all!"

He gave one last small bow to the prince, spun on his heel and marched steadfastly away from Fíli. "A word of advice, Majesty," he called out without turning around, "do try to dance with at least some of them. Otherwise, they would never leave you alone! Good day!"

Fíli had just enough time to blink dumbly at the stranger's back before he was swarmed on all sides by Dwarves asking him for a dance.

He never saw his brother's brown, inquisitive eyes observing the whole exchange.

* * *

"It was horrible, Kíli! I spent the evening trying to extract myself from Lord Thrim," Fíli groaned miserably into his open palms, his elbows resting on the breakfast table in a way that would have made Bilbo sniff in disapproval. "He has this weird fascination with locks and he wouldn't stop talking about them. How on Middle-Earth can anyone be this passionate towards locks of all things?"

"Only you would complain about being popular with the Dwarves," Kíli said teasingly. He reached for a bread roll from the silver platter in front of him and slathered on a liberal amount of butter. "What about the other Dwarf?" he asked with his mouth full, crumbs dropping all over the front of his green tunic. Bilbo would have _definitely_ disapproved of that. "I saw you talking to him before you were swarmed. What did that one want?"

Fíli looked up from his hands and scowled at the memory. "No idea. Come to think of it, he never even introduced himself. He just strolled up to warn me about the Dwarves who were trying to get my attention. "

He reached for his own buttered roll and shrugged at Kíli's answering, "Huh, strange." There was no way that Fíli would admit to being caught gazing at Kíli and his Elven companions for the majority of the party by the strange Dwarf, not if he wanted to ruin the rare sense of normalcy that had settled over them this morning.

Breakfast time in the royal family's sitting room had fast become a norm that was only shared between the two brothers. Thorin tend to take his meals at his desk or with Bilbo, and the last time Fíli had accidentally interrupted his uncle's private time with the burglar, Thorin had spent the rest of the day in a right cantankerous mood. Fíli was sure that after the events of that day, everyone in the Kingdom of Erebor (and possibly Mirkwood as well) knew better than to deprive his uncle of his morning Bilbo time.

(And if there was a small, tiny, _selfish_ part of Fíli who was glad that he could jealously guard his time with Kíli, he wasn't going to openly admit to that either.)

"Keep an eye out on that strange Dwarf, Fee. I think there's more to him than meets the eye." Fíli shook himself out of his stupor in time to catch the last of his brother's mumbled words, "I didn't like the way he looked at you."

"You mean with mild disdain?" He barked out a laugh, surprised, "Or whatever expression one sports when they are utterly unimpressed by someone? Either way, he didn't seem like he wanted to stay in my presence for too long so I wouldn't be too worried." Especially with that comment about looking less than expected coupled with that dismissive hand gesture. Fíli's ego was still stinging from that.

"As if anyone can be unimpressed by you, Fee," Kíli scoffed, wiping his buttery hands all over the white table cloth and leaving behind finger-shaped, greasy trails. It was a _really_ good thing that Bilbo was not present or else he would have had a coronary. "And if he was, then more the reason for me not to like him."

"Let's put that horrible Dwarf out of our heads and talk about something more pleasant," Fíli said. He deliberately kept his tone light to soothe away his brother's growing frown. "Have you packed for our hunting trip? I've spoken with the kitchens and they've made us enough food to last us through the afternoon."

Kíli's face fell, and a look of guilt settled heavily on his features. "Ah – I'm so sorry, Fíli. I completely forgot about our hunting trip! I promised Tauriel that I would show her around Erebor after lunch. She was looking forward to visit the underground markets." He added hesitantly, "Maybe you can come along with us? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"Oh, um, no – no it's fine, Kíli. We can go another day." Fíli patted Kíli's shoulder and smiled despite the heavy feeling of disappointment in his stomach. "Have fun today, alright? Try not to antagonize Miss Tauriel too much."

It wasn't as if Kíli had meant to forget about their trip, Fíli rationalized to himself later as he strolled out of the suite after breakfast. Uncle would have approved of Kíli's duty to play host to their esteemed guest and really, _Fíli_ of all people should understand the importance of duty. His position as heir and crown prince demands it of him.

Still – _Shafted again by Tauriel_, a small voice in his head whispered. The familiar feeling of bitterness and hurt from the previous evening came creeping back into his heart, and the blond slumped dejectedly against the set of closed doors. He wondered if there were some signs that he missed...or if Kíli was trying to tell him something...

Or maybe Kíli was just not as interested in spending time with him anymore, not when there are a million other people who are infinitely more exciting than his boring older brother.

_Like the Elves_, Fíli thought, clenching his fists so tightly to his side until his knuckles are bone white. _Like Tauriel_.

Tauriel, fair like the silver shining starlight that she so coveted and brave like the heroes whose great deeds are passed through the lips of one Dwarven generation to another. How could Fíli, dutiful, loyal, but utterly _plain_ Fíli possibly compare to her?

"Why is it that every time I see you, you are in a perpetual state of melancholy?" Fíli's head snapped up at the sound of a _very_ familiar, very irritating voice. "I thought the lovely time you had last night would have at least extended your good mood."

The strange Dwarf peered down at Fíli's bowed form and gave a small wave to add insult to injury. "Good day, Crown Prince Fíli!" he chirped brightly. "Fancy running into you this beautiful morn'!"

"You again!" Fíli straightened himself and stumbled upright, his motion clumsy and his cheeks heated from embarrassment. "How did you – what do you want?"

"Why, I'm doing well, thank you for asking!" the Dwarf answered blithely. "As always, your charming disposition makes you a delight to be around. And such courtesy! Your Majesty is truly a shining example of grace."

"I – just," Fíli gave up what he wanted to say in retaliation and sighed deeply, opting instead to pinch the bridge of his nose as he forced away his frustration. He had a duty as crown prince to represent the best of Erebor and he was, admittedly, doing a piss poor job of it. As aggravating as the Dwarf is, he deserved much better treatment than what Fíli is providing for him. "My apologies, Master Dwarf," Fíli said, his voice contrite. "That was rude of me. How are you doing and what brings you near the royal wing?"

If the dark-haired Dwarf was surprised by the change in demeanor, he did not show it. "Well, enough. Thank you for asking, your Majesty," he inclined his head forward and repeated graciously. His tone was much softer this time around although the mischievous smile had not fully left his face to Fíli's mounting dread. "As for the reason why I am here, I have actually come to seek you out."

"Oh," Fíli blinked in surprise. That wasn't what he was expecting at all. "Well, here I am. What is it that you need of me?"

"I – ah, perhaps it is best if we speak of this matter somewhere more private," the Dwarf suggested and before Fíli could question him further, he leaned close to the blond, so close that Fíli could feel the warmth of the stranger's breath brushing delicately against the side of his jaw. "I believe that you will be very interested to hear what I have to say," the dark-haired Dwarf said lowly and Fíli struggled not to react even when he could feel the beginning of a furious blush blooming across his cheeks. Damn his tendency to flush at the drop of a pin. "I _promise,_" the stranger continued and oh _Mahal_, he was purring into his ear, and damn it all, Fíli was _not_ going to shiver, "I promise to make it worth your while, my Prince."

_What in Durin's name_? Fíli swallowed hard and jerked his head away. He kept his questioning eyes fastened on the strange Dwarf despite the heat of his face, but his mind was turning over the meaning behind the message. Was this some sort of a prank at Fíli's expense? More importantly, why should he trust anything that the Dwarf may have to say?

"Fíli, you forgot to take your – " Kíli burst through the doors and trailed off at the sight of the stranger so close to Fíli. His gaze flickered over to his golden brother, stilled at the rosy red of his flushed cheeks before looking back at the stranger with hardened, cold onyx eyes. "What is going on?" Kíli asked slowly, dangerously.

With the grace that Fíli have only seen his brother exhibit when hunting, Kíli closed the doors behind him and strolled towards Fíli, his motion fluid and predatory. Fíli felt his mouth go dry from the palpable, mounting tension in the air. The strange Dwarf only quirked a cool brow as if completely unfazed by the awkward silent that had fallen over the three Dwarves.

"And you must be Prince Kíli of Erebor," the stranger finally greeted a few seconds later. He pulled away and Fíli let go of the breath that he didn't know he was holding. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance at last. Now if you don't mind, I need to borrow his Majesty for a short while –"

"He is busy," Kíli interjected, his eyes locked firmly on the stranger's. The archer placed a protective hand on Fíli's shoulder and pulled him backwards until the blond's back was pressed against the solid weight of Kíli's chest. "In fact, we were just getting ready to go hunting, aren't we, Brother?"

Fíli twisted around to face Kíli and frowned in confusion, "I thought you were – "

"Change of plans. We're going hunting." Kíli smiled at Fíli as if nothing was amiss, "It's been a while and I rather miss it. Let's go hunting."

"What about Miss Tauriel? Kíli, you can't just – "

"I can take her to the night market after dinner and I can show her the day market some other time. She's staying for a while anyway and I'm sure she'll understand the change of plans," Kíli said lightly. And because he can be a manipulative little _shit_, he turned his eyes, bright and huge on Fíli and positively whined in a sad, quivering tone, "Let's go hunting. Please, Fee? Please?"

And Fíli, very predictably, caved like a house of cards.

"Alright Kee," he said, his lips curling up in a soft smile. He placed a hand over the one that Kíli has over his shoulder, "Let's go hunting."

"I see that you are busy, your Majesties," the Dwarf coughed delicately. "My apology for interrupting your plans. Perhaps I shall have that discussion at a later time?" Without waiting for an answer, he bowed, spun around and began to walk away, but not before throwing over his shoulder, "best of luck with your hunt today. Good day!"

Fíli and Kíli stood still until the merry tune of the stranger's whistling could no longer be heard echoing down the length of the hallway.

* * *

It was much later that Fíli – covered in grime and sweat, the exhilaration of the hunt coursing through his veins – had a sudden realization that he had quite forgotten to ask the strange Dwarf for his name. Again.

Damn.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Many thanks to all of you who've read, reviewed, favourited, bookmarked, kudosed and etc. I know that there is a good number of you who is taking a leap of faith with this fic even when Fili/Kili is not your OTP. Your support is astounding and I cannot wish for better readers. Massive, massive hugs and kisses to you all and to all those who are willing to put up with my slow ass writing. Love you!

Unbetaed. All mistakes are mine. Apologies!

* * *

The nagging feeling of having forgotten something came crashing into Fíli as he and Kíli laid spread out on the green grass by the riverbank, exhausted from a day of hunting.

"Kíli?" the blond sat up suddenly, his eyes going wide with alarm. "What day is it today?"

"Hmph?" Kíli mumbled back from beside him. He was splayed out on his stomach half-asleep like a great big lazy cat lying in a patch of sunlight.

"Kíli, this is serious. What day is it?" Fíli leaned over and shook Kíli by the shoulder. When the archer didn't respond, he repeated the motion harder still. "Kíli!"

"It's the third, Fíli," Kíli groaned and rolled on to his back. He cracked open his left eye and stared fuzzily up at his brother, disgruntled. "Why? What is it?"

"Because," Fíli swallowed hard as realization dawned, "I think we are supposed to attend that really important dinner in a couple of hours, the one with all the Iron Hills lords."

A brief moment of silence passed.

"Oh," Kíli said finally, his voice very, very faint. "You mean the one where Uncle pulled us aside and explicitly told us to attend in our formal dress so that we don't look like 'uncouth ruffians who spent the day rolling in a hay stack'?"

Both Dwarves simultaneously looked down at their ragged, mud-splattered outfits as if noticing the state of their clothes for the first time. The bits of dried grass and leaves stuck on their persons did not help either.

They winced.

"I think we should – " Fíli jerked his head towards the direction where Erebor lay.

"Yes," Kíli said emphatically. His eyes were wide and his expression panicked. "We definitely, _definitely_ should."

Without another word, the two lunged for their discarded supplies and sprinted towards their ponies as if Smaug himself was raining fiery hell over their heads.

* * *

"Cutting it close, boys," came Bilbo's amused greeting three hours later when Fíli and Kíli finally deigned to make an appearance by the dining hall's entrance. The Hobbit tsked further as the two Dwarves all but collapsed against the stone wall beside him, their chests heaving from their mad dash across the palace from the royal wing. "Dare I ask what happened to you two?"

"We were out hunting and we – er – sortaforgotaboutdinner," Kíli mumbled the last part of his sentence without meeting Bilbo's eye. His palm was resting over his pounding heart, wrinkling the fine silk shirt under his hand.

For a Dwarf who cared very little in the way he presented himself, (and Fíli can more than testify. He spent his childhood chasing after his brother with a comb), Kíli cleaned up surprisingly well. Gone were the archer's wild, tangled locks and instead, his hair was neatly tied back in a series of intricate braids that proudly showcased his achievements as a warrior, his Durin bloodline, and his status as a young bachelor. Silver beads accented with gold shone brilliantly against the dark canvas of his chestnut hair, each of them etched with the young prince's personal sigil. His royal status was made all the more apparent from the fine silver coronet that rested above his brow and the unmistakable Durin blue of his outfit. His fur-trimmed velvet cloak, his jeweled lined belt, and his rings only added to the air of regality.

Fíli blinked back in surprise. The wild, rowdy youth whom he cherished was nowhere to be seen and in his place stood a _prince_.

"What?" Kíli asked nervously in the silent, pregnant pause. "Is there something on my face?"

"No, no. It's nothing." Fíli cleared his throat and reached over to smooth out the wrinkle on his brother's shirt. "There," he said, smiling softly. His heart was bursting with so much pride and love for Kíli. "Perfect."

He brushed away the odd fluttering in his heart when Kíli smiled back sweetly.

"You both look wonderful. I'm certain Thorin will have no complaints," Bilbo said just as he reached over to Fíli and straightened the collar of his red velvet cloak. Fíli patiently bore his attention and wondered when he became so accustomed to Bilbo's fussing. "Now let's head in, shall we? I'm starving."

The moment Fíli and Kíli stepped through the entrance followed by Bilbo a few paces behind, an eerie hush immediately descended over the dining hall. One by one, the Dwarves, Men and Elves, each dressed in the finest silks and pelts, bowed to their presence. Fíli fought down the reflexive urge to turn around and bow back in greeting as he would have done when he and Kíli were living in the Blue Mountains. Customs were much more lax there, the lines between royalty and common-born Dwarves more easily blurred in the common struggle against starvation. In a sense, life free from stifling court protocols had been simpler and Fíli missed it dearly.

Fíli supposed that he would eventually find comfort in the routines of the Ereborean royal customs, or at the very least, he would become so numbed that he would cease to find them so jarringly different. For now, he fell back to what he learned in his etiquette lessons.

_Chin up, eyes to the front, shoulders back and think of nothing but peaceful thoughts, _Fíli silently repeated the mantra in his head, drawing comfort from the familiar words. With his gaze locked forward, he walked past the dining hall guests to reach to the high table at the end of the room, his steps slow but confident. No expenses were spared in decorating the long refectory table. Tall candelabras, heavily- jeweled and golden, sat like two glittering pillars at opposite ends. Multiple sets of polished, golden cutleries, plates, and crystal goblets were neatly laid out for each of the guest that will be seated. They shone and sparkled in the warm glow of the flickering candles lighting the halls. Even the table cloth had a metallic sheen to it from the delicate gold threads woven into the fabric.

Fíli barely noticed all of this in his effort to retain his poise. He sat down in his designated seat to the right of Thorin's empty chair just as Kíli took his seat one chair away to the left of the King's. This was the first time since Erebor's restoration that Thorin held a formal feast as grand as this one and the heirs were given very lengthy, very thorough instructions by a harried Balin on where to sit, when to stand, _how to breathe_...

A low murmuring began to fill the room once again. Fíli shook himself out of his thought and ignored the weight of a hundred pairs of eyes on him. Instead, he focused his attention on Bilbo, who hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking his seat to Thorin's left.

Fíli coughed discreetly in his hand to disguise his laughter. It had taken a long time to convince the Hobbit that he could sit at the high table, let alone so close to the king. The matter was only resolved when Thorin himself pulled Bilbo aside and told him, with a teasing smirk on his face, that by royal decree, Bilbo Baggins shall sit at the king's left or so help him Mahal, Thorin will ban all salad from the dinner tables. Bilbo's answering look of horror was especially satisfying to watch.

"All rise for the King!"

The murmuring rose in crescendo. Fíli rose from his seat to peer curiously at the entrance as his uncle swept into the hall. A flock of dark-haired, jovial looking Dwarves trailed behind the King in a great procession. Each of them were swathed in richly coloured velvets – deep shades of red, green, blue and, Fíli snorted in amusement, one brave Dwarf sported a particular garish shade of bright yellow. There was no mistaking that these Dwarves were from the Iron Hills, not when their kingdom's emblem was so proudly displayed on their belts, their pins, and their beads.

"Majesty," Fíli greeted with a slight bow to Thorin when he made his way to his seat at the high table.

"Nephew," Thorin replied, the corners of his lips curled into a soft smile reserved for his family. He grasped Fíli's shoulders in both hands and lowered his head to touch his forehead against the blond's. Fíli's own gold and silver coronet clinked lightly against Thorin's heavy crown.

"I haven't seen you or your brother anywhere in the palace today. What kept you both so busy?" Thorin asked so quietly that none other could overhear. Despite having the eyes of the entire court on them, Fíli had never felt more comfortable now that he was in his uncle's presence.

"We went out hunting and we caught a few rabbit," Fíli replied. And because he enjoyed riling his uncle up as much as Kíli did, he added, "Uncle, has Bilbo tried your rabbit stew? Maybe you can ask him to join you for lunch and cook some for him." Fíli ignored his uncle's growing unimpressed look and continued with a straight face, "It will be just the two of you. Alone. In your personal quarters. Enjoying some quality time with each other."

He cocked his brow in the same knowing look that he has seen his mother give Thorin whenever she was right about something. Thorin's answering scowl felt like sweet, sweet victory.

"Impudent brat," the king growled out, "your suggestions are neither appreciated nor warranted." With a final harrumph, Thorin pointedly turned his back to his nephew to greet Bilbo and Kíli. Bilbo, in particular, flushed a fetching shade of pink after Thorin had whispered something in his ear.

One of these days, his uncle would finally stop dancing around the Hobbit and actually start courting him, and Fíli would make it his personal mission to tease the both of them relentlessly. It will be utterly glorious.

Snickering, Fíli turned to greet the Iron Hills guest beside him only to feel his laughter dying in his throat, because – "You!"

"Good day, Crown Prince Fíli! Fancy meeting you here!" the thrice-damned, strange Dwarf greeted him with an equally annoying little wave, and why, sweet merciful Creator, was he even doing at the _high table_ of all places and _is that a coronet on his head_?

"Fancy meeting me here? Wh-what are you doing here?!"

"Ah," the strange Dwarf stroked his beard and smirked, "and here comes that shining personality that I missed so much. Although I am infinitely pleased to see that you are, for once, _not_ in a state of melancholy. By Durin's beard, you were even smiling. Well done!"

Fíli felt his cheeks flush at the mocking tone. "I smile when there is a reason to smile," he answered crossly. "It just so happens that as of late, I have been cursed by unwanted company." He pursed his lips and stared pointedly at the Dwarf.

To his surprise, the Dwarf only grinned wider. "Ah. There's that famous Durin fire. I was wondering when it would finally make its presence known. You might not be as boring as I have pegged you out to be!"

"And your ability to speak your mind continues to shock and amaze me," Fíli snapped before he could reign in his words. The odd Dwarf's words stung more than he would have liked. "I see that you are especially talented in the art of giving back-handed compliments."

"I do aim to please, my Prince," the other Dwarf drawled out with a lazy grin.

A heavy hand over his shoulder interrupted Fíli's retort. "Nephew," Thorin greeted and the blond looked over his shoulder to see his uncle's puzzled look. Fíli must look quite the unusual sight in his bristled state. "I see that I am a bit late in the introductions but allow me to introduce you to your cousin Thorin Stonehelm, son of Daín, son of Naín of the Iron Hills."

Wait...wait.

What?

Fíli stared at Thorin in confusion, whipped his head back towards the strange Dwarf, gaped at him a little, and turned back to his uncle again.

_What._

"What?" Fíli croaked out.

"Thorin Stonehelm, your cousin," Thorin repeated, perplexed. "I understand that it may come as a surprise." He inclined his head towards the strange Dwarf. "You will forgive me, young Master, for not introducing my nephew to you earlier. I trust that the past few days in Erebor have been comfortable?"

The Dwarf lowered his eyes and bowed in a perfect example of humility and grace. "You have been a most gracious host, your Majesty," young Thorin murmured. "Rest assured, neither the Iron Hills Dwarves nor myself have had anything but a comfortable time in your kingdom."

Fíli gaped at him. Where was the cocky grin that was just there a few seconds ago? Where was the sarcasm? What just happened?

"Good," Thorin nodded, obviously pleased. "If you have any questions, my nephew shall be more than happy to play host. Now, if you excuse me." He nodded again in dismissal and turned his attention back to Bilbo.

A few seconds of awkward silence descended between Fíli and his neighbour. Young Thorin – and Fíli was still reeling that the stranger was his cousin of all things – quickly wiped away his bashful expression with a growing, smug smirk.

"You're so silent, Crown Prince Fíli! Has my introduction caused that much of a shock?"

"You're my cousin," Fíli muttered. He slowly sank into his seat without registering his actions. Just when he thought that this day could not become any stranger, it proved him wrong. "We are related. We are actually related."

"And I am just as equally excited by that prospect as you are," young Thorin took his own seat and replied in false cheer. Then, his expression brightened and he poked his head over the table. "Good day, _cousin_ Kíli," he exclaimed loudly with a little gleeful wave.

Kíli's eyes widened in recognition and he spluttered in shock.

"Stop antagonizing him," Fíli growled in defense of his little brother. "What I want to know is why you've never introduced yourself when it was clear that neither Kíli nor I knew who you were."

Thorin blinked owlishly at the blond. "You never asked for my name."

Oh for the love of – _really_? "That is not an excuse and you know it!"

Unfortunately, Fíli's conversation was cut short by the loud, enthusiastic cheer rising from the crowd as the heavy fragrant smell of cooked meat filled the air. Dwarves carrying platters of roasted chicken, venison, beef and pork marched down the hall, each new dish that they brought out growing more and more extravagant. The diners lost themselves to the great feast with gusto, but Fíli found himself chewing woodenly through his lavish dinner. Once in a while, he would throw suspicious side glances at young Thorin.

By the fifth time he has done this, Thorin Stonehelm sighed and put down his fork. "If I apologize for not making my introduction to you sooner, would you stop staring at me and let me eat in peace?"

"Your offer is much appreciated, Lord Thorin," Fíli muttered. He deliberately lowered his eyes and continued his aggressive attempt to cut his venison into smaller portions. "However, that certainly does not begin to explain why you have been directing your attention at me or why you've taken such pleasure in it."

"Why cousin Fíli, I was simply trying to get to know you better," the brunet returned glibly. "You can't blame a Dwarf for approaching another with caution, not when that Dwarf looked so unbelievably wretched. Speaking of which," the Dwarf peered curiously at Fíli. "I am downright curious as to why you continue to be in such a state. I thought your mood would improve from last night."

Fíli scoffed. "If you think that last night would improve my mood, you are grossly mistaken. Your concern about my state of happiness is noted but I shall leave my thoughts to myself, _thank you._" He has taken some of Bilbo's lessons in passive-aggressiveness to heart when dealing in diplomacy. The Hobbit would be proud. "Also, you delight in seeing me suffer, don't try to deny it."

Thorin rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. "Oh alright, but only a little. It's only because you look so unspeakably adorable when flustered. I could not resist the temptation."

Fíli stabbed his cubed venison with his fork in a particularly vicious motion that had Thorin Stonehelm flinch away in surprise. "Don't," he hissed out, low and dangerous. Fíli knew that he did not possess his uncle's striking dark appearance or Kíli's exotic good looks. If he was completely honest with himself, everything about his appearance was unusual from the gold in his hair to the slightness of his frame. The last thing he wanted was for his homeliness to be thrown back into his face by some mouthy, sarcastic, bastard of a Dwarf.

"I did not mean to offend you, my prince, and my comment was not made out of malicious intent," Thorin said in all seriousness, the playfulness all but gone from his voice. He must have seen something on Fíli's face to change his tone so suddenly. "I only meant to get to know you better from our previous encounters. Frankly speaking, you provide the much needed breath of fresh air from Lord Thrym's inane chattering or Lady Rindr and Lady Groa's obsession with dresses."

Fíli whipped his head towards Thorin with a sharp retort at the tip of his tongue to call out on his lie, but he paused at the Dwarf's sombre, contrite expression. The brunet seemed to be genuinely sorry and although he was aggravating, really,_ really _aggravating even, he reminded Fíli a bit of Kíli. The archer was downright insufferable in his boredom when he was younger and had made a few beardlings cry on more than one occasion. Kíli usually meant no harm.

Usually.

And Fíli could more than sympathize with wanting to get away from Lord Thrym's long winded ode to his love of locks.

For the umpteenth time that evening, Fíli sighed. "Alright, I understand. It's fine. It's all fine. Can we just forget about this?" the blond lowered his fork to pinch the bridge of his nose, already wishing for this conversation to be over. He always hated verbal altercations and would leave the name calling to Kíli. The archer was surprisingly creative when it came to that. "How about we start afresh? Fíli, son of Vili, Crown Prince of Erebor." He lowered his hand and inclined his head forward in greeting. Might as well forgive and forget. It wasn't in Fíli's nature to hold grudges anyway.

"Thorin Stonehelm, son of Lord Daín of the Iron Hills, at your service," the other Dwarf returned his greeting graciously, and Fíli watched, half-afraid, as the young Dwarf's mischievous smile start to bloom across his face again. "I have a feeling, Prince Fíli, that you and I will become great friends."

"Why do I feel like I will regret this?" Fíli groaned.

* * *

It wasn't until well after the feast that Fíli managed to see Kíli again. It was hard not to considering how Kíli had bodily pulled him behind a pillar as he was walking down the hall to his private chamber.

"Ow! Kíli! What are you doing?" Fíli rubbed at his aching arm with a grimace.

"Is it true?" Kíli interjected quickly, "Is that strange Dwarf really our cousin?"

"Yes, it's true, and Uncle has made it clear that we are to show him around Erebor for the next couple of weeks." Fíli glanced at his brother, who bit his lip and looked away suspiciously. "But clearly, that is not what you wanted to ask me. What is it, Kíli? Come now, out with it." He pressed forward obnoxiously close and said in a sing-song voice, "Kíli, tell me. Tell me."

Kíli leaned away and scowled ferociously at Fíli's wheedling tone. "I just wanted to know what he said during dinner that's gotten you so angry. Stop that! You know I hate it when you use that voice."

Oh. "You saw that?" He continued at Kíli's answering shrug, "It was a misunderstanding. Our cousin has an odd sense of humour that I still haven't fully grasped yet. He is surprisingly less aggravating than I first thought he was." Fíli grinned and nudged against his brother's shoulder. "Were you worried about me? You were weren't you?"

"Well, excuse me for caring," Kíli grouched out. He swatted his brother away from him. "I've never seen anyone managed to get you so unsettled before! It was strange!"

"It was stupid," the blond agreed. He took a step back from the archer and started to loosen his cloak. The heavy thing had done nothing but weigh him down and he was more than sick of it. "I asked him why he felt the need to pester me and he said he enjoyed seeing me, and I quote: 'adorably flustered'. His words, not mine."

A strange, strangled sound had Fíli look up from the shoulder clasp that he was trying to work loose. "What? What is it?"

"Oh, nothing. Just something in my throat," Kíli coughed lightly into his fist. "That is a strange thing to say. You don't suppose he meant that?" Kíli automatically reached over and brushed Fíli's hair away from the clasp.

"I doubt it. Cousin Thorin seems to like saying things that will get a rise out of people." Fíli cowed in triumph when the clasp snapped open, and the cloak fell to the ground in a soft thump. Groaning in relief, Fíli rolled his aching shoulders. "Your turn now. Let's take this heavy cloak off of you."

To his surprise, Kíli recoiled back and clutched on the end of his cloak protectively against his chest. "Wait, no! I need to keep this on until after I showed Miss Tauriel around the markets! I need to look nice!"

And just like that, Fíli's good humour fizzled away. "I forgot that you promised to show Miss Tauriel the night market," he said with what he hoped to be a convincing smile on his face. Honestly, why was he even upset? He just spent a perfectly normal day with his brother like the ones they shared back in the Blue Mountains. He should be happy that the day was ending on a high note and that Kíli was back to being his cheerful self. "I hope you enjoy yourself," the blond added more brightly. "Please refrain from making any jokes about your pants."

"Very funny, Fíli. Miss Tauriel and I will have a great time, just you wait and see." The archer clapped a hand over his brother's shoulder before heading down the hall. "I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast!"

Fíli waved at Kíli's retreating figure, growing more and more relieved. It seemed like whatever it was that went on between himself and Kíli was just temporary. His brother clearly needed the time and personal space to work through his problems and now that he had done so, everything was starting to go back to normal. Still, it would have been nice to know what was wrong with his brother in the first place for him to be acting so strangely towards Fíli.

It would also be nice to go _one_ day without being reminded of the Elves, but if that was the price that Fíli had to pay to see his brother smiling again, then so be it.

Humming to himself, Fíli bent over to pick up his discarded cloak, dusted off the heavy fabric, and draped it over his fore arm. Perhaps he could see if Kíli was interested in visiting some of the other Company members tomorrow after lunch. He hasn't spoken to Ori in a while.

The sound of approaching footsteps interrupted his chain of thoughts. Fíli turned in time to see young Thorin strolling towards him. Funny, has he always had that strut?

"Crown Prince Fíli!" the Iron Hills Dwarf cried enthusiastically, "I'm so pleased to have found you! I see that you are smiling again. Most excellent!"

"Lord Thorin," Fíli returned, bemused and sounding only half-exasperated this time. "We just saw each other a few scant hours ago. Not much has changed since then." He cocked his head in curiosity. "Is there something that I could help you with?"

"Yes! There is! But we must discuss this somewhere less public than in the hallway. Where can we go?" Without waiting for an answer, Thorin grabbed Fíli's arm and led him down the hallway. "Come now, no time to dally! I just remembered that I had wanted to speak with you since this morning about an important matter, but the thought had completely slipped my mind until now! Silly me! And since we are the greatest of friends now – "

"We just became acquainted!" Fíli laughed, but he allowed himself to be dragged along by the other Dwarf now that his curiosity was piqued. This was probably a terrible idea and goodness knows what sorts of insanity young Thorin has up his sleeves.

" – it certainly will make this, ah – _conversation_ much easier to deliver!" Thorin carried on obliviously. He ushered Fíli into an empty room, pausing only to check his surroundings for other people before reaching for the heavy set of wooden doors. The moment they closed behind him, he dropped his playful façade.

"Listen, Prince Fíli," he whispered, low and serious. Fíli felt his grin slip off his face and he swallowed heavily in response. "Last night's dinner was just a taste of what's to come. Things will definitely become more hectic when the next batch of Iron Hills noblemen arrive."

"I – I don't think I understand," Fíli shook his head. "More Dwarves are coming?"

"Yes. The word about King Thorin and his affection towards Master Bilbo Baggins has already been spread so the Dwarves know better than to try their chances with the King."

"Try their chances? But what has this got anything to do with last night and – " Fíli's eyes widened. An icy chill began to spread up his spine as realization, and the beginning of what felt like mild horror, slowly dawned on him. He turned his panicked-filled eyes to Thorin. "No."

"Yes." Thorin replied, his voice full of pity. "The word is out, cousin. You have now become the single most eligible bachelor among the Dwarves. Simply put, you are officially being hunted. If I were you, I would come up with a plan fast before the vultures descend on Erebor."

* * *

A/N - Part deux!

[1] Many, many thanks to all those who are incredibly enthusiastic about the previously unnamed strange Dwarf being Thorin Stonehelm. You have asked and you shall receive.

[2] Thorin Stonehelm is younger than Kili by a few years according to canon. For this fic, I'm making him older than Kili, younger than Fili, and twice as cocky and aggravating as the both of them put together. Because of reasons.

(The reason is I like writing dickish characters. :P)

[3] As you have already guessed, this fic is mostly Fili-centric, which will be a first for me. I am eager to play around with this character and I hope that the shenanigans I put him through will be to your liking. Mark my words, there will be shenanigans!


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